Moving or Copying Files and Folders in SharePoint

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I have to admit that working in a web-based environment is cool, but there are Windows features that I truly miss when in SharePoint. One very common need is to be able to move or copy files and/or folders from one document library to another. At first glance, this doesn’t seem possible in SharePoint. Fortunately, SharePoint provides us with a view – called Explorer View, which allows us to use Windows Explorer type features to work with our files.

I only wish moving or copying SharePoint items from lists were as easy, but alas …

The instructions I’ve provided below are based on a hosted SharePoint environment, but you would use the same process for a non-hosted environment. There are a few different ways to accomplish this, but today I’m showing you how to use the Explorer View within SharePoint.

A few simple steps – that’s all there is to it.

1) Open the document libraries in both the source location and the destination location at the same time. You could use two different tabs in your browser, or open two different instances of your browser, it doesn’t matter which. Just so long as you can see each of the document libraries open.

2)  Change the view to Explorer View. There’s a dropdown near the upper right to change views. If asked for your password, enter it once. If asked again, simply hit the cancel button. You’ll eventually get to the Explorer View after about 3 times of doing this. It’s strange. Something about the hosted environment. I don’t know what.

3) Select all the folders or files, except the Forms folder. Right-click > Copy.

4) Switch to the destination document library. Change it to Explorer View. Right-click > Paste.

5)  Change your view back to All Documents.